Two mistakes along the road to truth
by Mosshh
Summary: Rachel is a compulsive liar and Quinn can't stand it. After going to Yale Quinn has to return home after the death of her mother bu something doesn't feel right. Her uneasiness is soon confirmed when the dead start crawling out of their graves. In a fight for survival there is nowhere else to turn but to eachother.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first zombie fic and it'll be posted in two parts.**

**Enjoy.  
**

* * *

_I'll be right back._

Yeah right, Quinn thinks to herself rolling her eyes clutching the cold, metal baseball bat closer to her chest, knuckles turning white. If it wasn't Rachel Berry who had voiced those words just thirty minutes previously, maybe she wouldn't be so worried. Maybe she isn't worried. Maybe fighting for her life kept adrenaline levels running obscenely high which was causing feelings that felt so foreign they could have easily been mistaken.

No. Quinn isn't worried, Quinn is frustrated. Frustrated at the fact that Rachel had once again told her what she wanted to hear rather than the truth and that was no longer enough. In a world where living was surviving by any means possible, the truth was imperative. Unfortunately that's something Rachel Berry lacks and was the original reason why Quinn left for Yale.

* * *

"_I really like you Quinn," Rachel pauses, "more than like actually." Not daring to look into Quinn's __piercing gaze, Rachel chooses to direct her own eyesight at her feet, watching how she was nervously shuffling backwards and forwards from ball to tiptoe. _

_Quinn sighs, before replying. It was the one thing she'd always wanted to hear from Rachel, yet now it had happened, it didn't feel anything like Quinn had hoped it would. Her heart sinks and in the few seconds she leaves Rachel hanging she thinks back to the internet research she'd conducted the night before._

'_Pseudologia fantastica: also known as pathological or compulsive lying. If someone is lying or has the tendency to frequently lie, you may be able to catch them out with the following criteria (however this doesn't work for everybody.)_

_Lying for no personal gain (would it make sense for that person to lie in the context of which they are talking?)_

_Lies tend to have some element of truth to them._

_Are they legitimately possible?_

_Avoiding eye contact._

_Stories tend to change half way through or are changed when told to different people._

_Lies are ridiculously insignificant (I did brush my teeth this morning, when really they didn't.)_

_Quinn runs her thoughts to an abrupt halt clears her throat and talks. "I'm sorry Rachel but I can't deal with this."_

_Rachel's eyes shoot up to meet Quinn's somewhat sympathetic orbs of emerald. "I, I don't think I understand Quinn. What do you mean you can't deal with this? What is this? I simply told you I loved you is that not enough?" Rachel finishes anger lacing her voice._

_Quinn's brain ticks off her internet research in the back of her mind one criterion after the next._

_Avoiding eye contact – tick._

_Stories changing half way through – tick._

_Legitimately possible? Unfortunately Quinn hopes so, but then again she doesn't know how truthful Rachel is being._

_Quinn lifts her previously hanging limp hand to Rachel's shoulder and rubs it soothingly._

"_You said you liked me, not loved me," Rachel tries to interrupt but Quinn continues firmly but calmly. "But, it's okay Rachel. I don't understand what you're going through but I want to help you."_

_Rachel takes a step backwards from the blonde of whom she is convinced is patronising her. The air surrounding the smaller girl suddenly feels thin and she finds it hard to take a breath. Her eyes are stinging with unshed tears and she wants to scream. _

_She doesn't understand what Quinn is talking about. What does Quinn know about Rachel that she doesn't? But before Rachel's thoughts can continue running riots, Quinn speaks once more._

"_I heard you on the phone to your Dad in the girl's bathroom a week before school ended, about you being, um, you know…" Quinn trails off her voice getting quieter, not knowing how to finish her sentence without accusing Rachel of something she doesn't know a lot about._

_Rachel on the other hand knows exactly what Quinn is talking about. "Were you eavesdropping, Quinn?"_

_Quinn opens her mouth to speak but thinks better of it._

"_Actually," Rachel continues, "Don't answer that, but you could at least have the decency to say it out loud."_

_It's Quinn's turn to look at her feet. A crimson glow coats her cheeks and she wishes she hadn't stopped the girl to even talk to her now. She'd just seen her crossing the mall car park and as term had ended a week ago and no one had heard from Rachel, let alone seen her, she thought she'd do the polite thing and check if she was okay. _

"_Say it Quinn," Rachel forces out through gritted teeth, "Say what I am. Go on. Say it!" Rachel shouts visibly seething almost spitting at the blonde._

"_You're um," Quinn mumbles, "Look Rachel, please don't make me…"_

"_Say it," Rachel demands._

"_Liar, Rachel. You're a liar," Quinn replies in a downtrodden voice as if she is ashamed to admit the truth._

"_Yes Quinn, my full condition deems me as a pathological liar. Is that why you can't do this? Because you don't believe me? Or do you not want to believe me. I thought it's what you wanted. I know you like me too."_

_Quinn doesn't reply straight away. She's not sure what's to say. Her heart pounds against her ribs. It gets faster. Beats harder. It is everything she's wanted to hear. She's wanted to hear it for so long. She knew Rachel liked her. Subtle hints here. Notes in her locker there. Things changed however, when Quinn overheard Rachel's conversation with her Dad. By what Quinn heard Rachel's Dad was checking she was on her way home. Rachel claimed she was but obviously Quinn knew otherwise. _

_Quinn couldn't understand why Rachel would lie about something so pointless. She'd stopped off to freshen up in the girl's bathroom before leaving school, what was so wrong about being honest about that. Quinn's confusion continued and it wasn't until Rachel started raising her voice that Quinn had realised what was going on. The girl occupying the phone began shouting and claiming that just because 'I have a tendency to lie' doesn't mean I am this time, 'I thought you trusted me, diagnosed as a pathological liar or not.' And at that, she'd hung up the phone. _

_Rachel breaks the silence between them. "I have to go," and with that Rachel turns on her heel and continues the walk to her car, only looking back to say, "__There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."_

* * *

In the dim light Quinn's eyes try to adjust as best as physically possible but even the best of eye sight won't save her from the wrath of the zombies; lonesome creatures that crawl from the graveyards of cemeteries yearning for human flesh, biting those with a pulse, animal or otherwise. Luckily for the animals it's a quick death, they aren't affected by the gene. They feel no pain. They merely die as if poisoned by deadly venom.

For humans it's not that simple. They're more complex. Each bite can take anywhere from a minute to an hour to fester enough to cause the blood to boil. If vital organs are attacked festering pursues at an alarming rate. The brain stops functioning and the heart beats harder and harder trying to settle the blood's temperature, but with no cure, it's impossible. The heart overworks to the extent that it starts to eat itself. It uses its own flesh as fuel until there is none. With the heart gone, the brain dead creatures yearn for more flesh. However much they consume, it will never be enough to suffice their constant hunger.

The sound of smashing glass immediately alerts all of Quinn's senses. She spins around hoping, pleading that it's Rachel having dropped the supplies in which she entered the abandoned grocery store to get. It isn't Rachel. It isn't even a human. A group of three flesh yearning monsters drag themselves pitilessly towards the blonde girl. One is merely a severed torso dragging itself closer and closer with whatever strength it has left on two spindly flesh enamoured arms. Its head looks as if someone has already swung many baseball bats at it.

Clearly not enough Quinn thinks to herself.

The other two creatures are approaching much quicker than the mangled torso. Both fully limbed and not a single sign of having been previously attacked. Quinn raises her bat. They're gaining on her. She fixates her thoughts on Rachel. If anything happens to her Quinn will die protecting the girl she loves.

Nothing else will matter.

And why won't it? Because Quinn's final thoughts will be of Rachel and not even brain dead monsters can take that away from her.

* * *

_The weeks' following Rachel and Quinn's confrontation leads the girls to falling further and further apart. A friendship three years in the making was slowly disintegrating in front of both girls eyes, and there was only one person to blame._

"_I'm not blaming you Rachel!" Quinn shouts holding her head in her hands sitting on her own bed as Rachel paces back and forwards already having worn a whole in the carpet. "I've tried to be okay with this but just as soon as you begin to get better…" Quinn's voice breaks, "every time Rachel. Every time you revert backwards and we're going around in circles."_

_Rachel stops pacing and turns to look at the tired blonde who meets her gaze. Her glimmering eyes now lacked lustre and was accompanied by darkening rings. The girl who was once so full of life seemed to be a deflated mess and Rachel could blame no one but herself. Quinn was right, every time Rachel stops lying, every time things get good between them, she does it again. She doesn't know why she does it. She can't help it. Maybe she believes that things are too good to be true and just wants to prove herself right._

"_You need to leave Rachel," Quinn says sternly wringing her hands together because she doesn't know what else to do with them. If she stops holding them together she knows she'll pull Rachel closer and tell her that everything's going to be okay, only she doesn't have the energy for that anymore. Countless nights have seen the pair cuddled up beneath the stars in one or the others back garden, singing…laughing. Being happy. _

_Rachel dashes forwards and kneels in front of the trembling girl noticing how hard she is trying to stop herself from crying. It'll only be a matter of time._

"_No, please Quinn. One more chance, I promise this time it'll be different," the kneeling girl pleads._

"_That's the 8__th__ time you've promised that Rachel and still we're stuck in this loop. Please don't make this any harder than it already is. I'd like you to leave please," Quinn politely persists. She doesn't want to raise her voice because she isn't angry. Just hurt. Hurt that the girl who captured her heart seems to be taking her for a ride._

_Rachel still doesn't move. Her hands rest on Quinn's knees and she feels the girl flinch under the warmth of her hands. _

"_One more chance. Don't make me beg Quinn. I love you," Rachel finishes feeling a little flustered as she says the words a loud. She's only ever whispered them when she was sure the blonde was fast asleep, tucked as close to her body as physically possible. _

_Quinn tries not to scoff. If Rachel loves her then why was she still doing this? Why was she putting her through more pain than necessary? More than anything, why was she telling her that she loves her. Nothing was official between them. The only times they'd spent together involved ignoring the pending situation and falling asleep in each other's arms not naming whatever it was that both girls were feeling._

"_You know how I feel about you Rachel. All this time you've known and sometime ago, I thought you felt the same. And maybe you did. Maybe you still do, but you aren't the girl I fell in love with," Quinn takes in a sharp breath to try and calm herself down. She won't cry. She won't cry. "The girl I fell in love with would have gone to the end of the earth to try and solve the problems she's dealing with and…"_

"_And nothing Quinn. I _have_ gone to the end of the earth trying to solve what you like to call 'my problems' but I can't do this alone. Relapses happen. Every night we've fallen asleep together, I feel complete and it doesn't feel as if I need to lie again. It's out of my control. I'll be honest…"_

_Quinn utters a laugh despite knowing it was unfair to do so._

"_I'll be honest, I have deliberately lied, but not all of them were deliberate. The little ones like telling you I'm not tired when I am and telling you I haven't lied for the entire day when I have, I don't know why I do them. But the deliberate ones, the painful ones, I do it because it all feels too good to be true," Rachel finishes._

"_So, deliberately lying when I'm under the impression you're getting better is going to help us is it?" Quinn asks in dismay._

"_No but," Rachel tries._

"_Nothing Rachel, but nothing. You've known how I've felt for a while. You've let me in, you've let me close to you and I've given the same back but I can't open myself up anymore because I'm too scared it's going to be another slap in the face. I love you Rachel, and when you get better, whenever that is, come and find me. I might have run out of patience and things may be broken between us beyond compare but for you there is nothing I'm not willing to try."_

_Tears form and fall simultaneously in both girls eyes. "I can't believe you love me until you can show continuous improvement and dedication to beating this thing. I know you can do it, I know you can but I think I'm holding you back."_

_Rachel rapidly shakes her head and her tears stream quicker. She mouths 'No' but no sounds are made._

"_I'm going to Yale Rachel, like I'd planned. You always knew there was that chance. While I'm here, you're always going to find reason to lie again. If you can get better on your own, which I know you can," Quinn reassures, "Then maybe there's hope, hope for us Rachel."_

* * *

Quinn's hands shake but still she accurately slams the baseball bat down crunching what was left of the first zombie's skull. Dead matter oozed from its eyes and ears and just to be on the safe side Quinn whacks the zombie once more and a squelching sound indicates that the brain of the zombie is no longer capable of living, if that's what you can even call it.

The actions of the blonde are then repeated twice more, first to the other fully limbed creature and then to the useless mound of torso. Her bat is now smeared with gunk, brain matter and rotting flesh. The stench is horrendous but as Quinn has been here from the beginning it's a smell she is starting to get used to.

Forty minutes has now passed and as Rachel had promised no more than ten Quinn quickly looks over her shoulder before entering the grocery store. Her footsteps echo along with each step she takes along the vacant aisles. She can't understand what is taking Rachel so long as the shelves are all completely bare. However, being the main grocery store in the town bordering Lima Quinn is hardly surprised. It was probably one of the first shops to be raided.

Quinn slows her pace trying to decrease the volume of the echo's her combat boots are making. She tiptoes around a corner, rapidly lifts her bat and slams it straight into the side of a zombie's head. Blood and matter splatter across the grey and dusty walls. The blonde doubles over trying to steady her heart rate. She knew she was to always expect the worst and always be prepared but sometimes even that split second isn't quick enough to make a decision or to prepare you for the dangers that lay ahead.

Realising that there is no time to waste Quinn sprints to the end of the aisle before making a sharp right turn. She then continues her sprint down the back of the store to see if she can see spot the girl in question. If there was one zombie, there was always more. And if there isn't more, they'll be coming.

They're always coming.

For their hunger never ceases.

* * *

_The blonde stands and tugs on Rachel's hands to pull her up too. Their eyes connect, each boring into the others soul looking for the answer in which in this moment, they cannot find, but someday they hope to. Quinn's eyes flutter close as her fingers entwine with Rachel's gripping her tighter, like she's her anchor in the sea and then leans forward slowly, tentatively before placing a soft, barely-there kiss on Rachel's pale, pink, tasting-of-cherries lips._

_The kiss lasts seconds but Rachel has just enough time to return it before Quinn reluctantly pulls away, resting her head against Rachel's._

"_Our first kiss," Rachel whispers as a lone tear cascades down her cheek._

"_One of many more," Quinn whispers back, "Get better," she urges, "Get better and I'll be waiting."_

"_I don't think I can without you. Please Quinn, don't do this," Rachel pleads but Quinn is already pulling away. The sudden loss of contact comes as a shock to both of them and they both wince as cold air hits the spot in which was previously heated by the other's presence._

_Quinn takes two steps and opens her bedroom door, "It's time for you to go Rachel."_

_Still the girl doesn't move. Quinn gives her time. She waits. She waits for what feels like an age until Rachel finally turns around and strides straight to the door. The girl doesn't talk directly to Quinn as she passes through the open door but the blonde can hear her muttering something under her breath and it sounds something like, "I can do this, I know I can do this. Not for me, for her. I can do this."_

_Quinn doesn't follow Rachel down the stairs, instead she waits until she can hear the slam of the door before collapsing onto her bed and drifting off into a hazy sleep._

* * *

This is the third scan of the store and Quinn is still at a loss. No sign of Rachel. Where could she be, Quinn wonders panic stricken. She racks her brains. Nothing. They rarely leave and wander the streets at night, it's too risky, and it's when the zombies are most active. Still the blonde continues to wrack her brains.

"Arghh!" Quinn yells to herself, pummelling the palm of her hand into her forehead, not caring who can hear her, "Goddamn," Quinn raises her bat and smashes the shelf of an aisle causing it to collapse under the force, "Rachel" the girl continues to smash the collapsed shelf with all her might, "Rachel," and again, one hit after the next, "fucking Berry!" Quinn finishes collapsing to the floor breathing heavily throwing the bat to the side of her enabling her to hold her head in her hands.

As she does so she smears blood and dirt over her face but she's beyond caring. All she wants is Rachel. Two years of birthday and Christmas cards and that was the extent to which the girls had spoken to one another. No phone calls. No Skype. Nothing.

She'd hoped Rachel's recovery would be quicker when she was no longer in the picture but two years had proved her wrong. Every day she'd check her mail in case there was a hand written envelope with a signature gold star stuck on the left hand side. After weeks of nothing, Quinn's hope diminished.

Quinn doesn't know when she started crying but now she's aware of it she can feel the warm tears sliding down her pale cheeks. She wipes them away with the cuff of her ripped and dirty sleeve. Cleanliness was no longer a necessity. If you could wash daily by whatever means possible you were the lucky ones. No daily activity was carried out unless a weapon was present in at least one, if not both hands.

Quinn moves her hands from her face to glance at her watch. "Shit," she whispers. It's stopped.

She can't fathom why she hasn't been found yet. She hasn't been quiet, if anything she's tried to make as much noise as possible. With an hour having passed and not a single sign of Rachel Berry the only answer of Rachel's disappearance is that she is now a zombie with the only thought of human flesh on her mind. Quinn winces at the thought of it.

Is Quinn trying to deliberately get herself caught? Maybe Quinn would be happier being dead if Rachel was as well, but then again death is much more pleasurable than becoming a flesh craving monster.

Quinn is about to close her eyes no longer worrying of the consequences of being alone in a lit up shop during the peak time for zombie hordes when the sound of a rolling tin alerts Quinn's ears. She dives for her bat and scrambles to her feet slowly backing her way down the aisle remembering to frequently look over her shoulder.

The noise repeats itself startling Quinn more than the first noise had.

Quinn's heart pumps faster and faster until all she can feel is the pounding of blood in her ears and then it happens for a third time.

Zombies can't think. They can't consciously do something more than once, but a horde could make many noises, over and over again, for as long as the possibly wanted.

Quinn gulps.

She is no longer alone.

* * *

_A distant beeping wakes Quinn. At first she tries to ignore it but soon enough she is thrashing in her bed trying to untangle her from the pile of blankets to reach her phone before the caller hangs up._

_Normally Quinn would be awake in the early hours of the morning, studying, revising, reading. You name it and Quinn did it. Sometimes she still does. She doesn't sleep well. If her thoughts aren't plagued with Rachel, counting down the days until she receives her next card they're filled with worry about her mum's deteriorating condition. _

_They still don't know what it is, all they can diagnose is a high fever and forgetfulness in which can't be explained. No amount of painkillers, anti-biotic or even the strongest prescription drugs can keep the fever under control. Quinn's gone back to Lima and visited on several occasions but now that her mother is in an induced coma visiting seems redundant. Judy couldn't communicate even when conscious, she just thrashed around trying to ease the pain, so now that she's in a coma, there is no hope at all._

"_Hello, Quinn speaking" the girl mumbles quietly, sleepiness lacing her voice._

"_Hello Quinn, this is Doctor Evelyn McCoy speaking," the voice the other end of the phone replies._

_Quinn feels her chest constrict and start to ache, no news at three am can ever be good news. She'd been prepared for the worst but sometimes preparation still isn't enough._

"_What's happened?" Quinn forces out in a dry, croaky voice._

"_I'm very sorry Miss Fabray, we tried everything, and there was nothing more we could do. I'm incredibly sorry for your loss. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and any complaints you may wish to make about your mother's treatment will be addressed immediately."_

_Quinn isn't listening anymore. She zoned out after the first few words. Her head is spinning; her heart is racing and her blood pumping. She tries to speak, to let Doctor McCoy know she's still on the other end of the line but she can't seem to make a noise. Her mouth opens and closes and opens and closes._

"_Miss Fabray, are you there? I know this is a lot to…"_

"_I'm here," Quinn forces out, her voice cracking. She feels the burns of tears at the back of her eyes but knows she can't cry. She can't. She'd prepared herself. She knew this was going to happen. She can't cry._

_The phone call doesn't last much longer. Quinn tells the Doctor that there's nothing she wishes to ask at the present time but lets her know she'll board the first place back to Ohio in the morning. Doctor McCoy understands and apologies once more before ending the call._

_At a time in which Quinn should be thinking only of the very recent and heartbreaking loss of her mother all she can muster up the courage to do is wonder what Rachel is doing right now. She wonders if she's thinking about Quinn like Quinn is thinking about her. She wonders if she's trying to sleep or if she is sleeping, is she dreaming?_

_Quinn swivels her body and lets her legs fall like lead weights to the floor. She takes in a sharp intake of air before pulling herself up onto her feet and shuffling towards the window which is illuminated by the bright white light of the moon._

_Quinn hopes Rachel can't sleep. She wants Rachel to be looking at the moon too at least that way it will feel like they have some form of connection despite the long distance between them. Quinn gazes at the moon for what feels like an age, enamoured by its glistening surface. She stays looking at the moon until she can no longer feel her feet due to the cold hard floor beneath them._

_She doesn't want to leave just in case Rachel is looking. Quinn waits. She's not sure what for. A sign maybe. The blonde snorts at herself, "this is ridiculous" she whispers, before dragging her body back into bed, shaking her head at her own naivety. _

_Little does Quinn know, Rachel _is_ looking._

_Rachel never stops looking, living in hope that Quinn is returning her stare. _

* * *

**This was written for 'Faberry Week: Zombie prompt' and it'd be great to know what you think, the second part will be updated in a weeks time or if you can't wait, hunt it out on " .com"**_  
_

**Thank-you  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's part two, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Quinn freezes at the sight before her. She lowers her bat until it hangs limply at her side. She's almost tempted to throw it in frustration but thinks better of it. Walking closer, the body that was kneeling on the floor just a second before is now standing up and turning around.

"Ta-da!" Rachel exclaims, a grin etched across her blood splattered features pointing at a stack of empty tins a little way behind her as she moves closer to the blonde.

Quinn stops walking and just stares. "What the absolute fuck is going on?"

"Bowling," Rachel replies shrugging her shoulders and looking at her feet.

Quinn double takes, how can Rachel be so calm? Zombies are roaming the streets seeking out any flesh that is left by any means possible and all Rachel can think about is bowling using their only supplies as props.

"I thought that we could have some fun. There isn't much food in here but I found some empty cans that I've stacked up and there's one full can of baked beans that we can use as a make shift ball."

Quinn can't hold it in any longer and explodes in a flame of frustration, "You've been missing for the best part of an hour after you specifically promised me you would only be ten minutes Rachel! I mean come on can you not see what the problem is here? We are fighting for our lives! There are only two of us which means at any one time we are always alone, one on guard and one inside the building," she pauses for breath and is about to continue but thinks better of it.

What's the point, it's not going to change things Quinn thinks to herself.

Rachel stares at her feet still not looking up even after Quinn's finished. Her features look tired and she's obviously had to bludgeon a few zombies judging by the state of her clothes. Each of her hand holds the other and a tear slides down her cheek stopping briefly at her chin before plunging to the floor.

Quinn notices the girl's tears. With a loud clang she drops her bat to the floor and takes a few strides towards Rachel to pull her into a tight hug. Ignoring the metallic smell of blood that wasn't even hers, Rachel smelt relatively fresh and welcoming. Her perfume that she'd salvaged from the wreck of her house clung to her like a mother clings to their young. The sweet scent of vanilla fills Quinn's nostrils and she relaxes into the embrace and immediately forgets why she was mad.

There's no time to be mad when every second counts. Every second may be their last therefore every second has to matter.

Quinn pulls out of the hug and Rachel' winces as if expecting another wave of frustration to come over Quinn and braced her for the harsh words. But when it doesn't happen Rachel somewhat relaxes and opens her eyes that she wasn't aware she'd closed. The sight she see's astounds her but causes her lips to curl as she finds the blonde picking up the baked beans can from the floor.

"Do I just…" Quinn motions a bowling action straight at the pile of empty tins and Rachel nods.

The girls quickly find themselves engrossed in beating the other completely forgetting that flesh craving maniacs were probably at best, only sixty feet away from them. After several games the girls collapse beside each other gasping for breath due to all the laughing and of course, bowling.

"Why now?" Quinn asks resting her head on Rachel's shoulder. She thought she'd have to explain herself but thankfully Rachel's prompt response meant otherwise.

"You never know what's around the corner," Rachel replies bluntly.

Quinn raises her head and stares at Rachel slightly worried, "Has anything happened?"

Rachel's mouth opens in shock and Quinn quickly corrects herself, "I mean, you were gone a while and your clothes tell the story that you put up quite a fight…"

"I haven't been bitten," Rachel interrupts.

Quinn feels bad for doing so but raises an eyebrow.

"I promise, Quinn," Rachel insists.

"Good, you just spoke as if the future is never going to happen and right know I know it's hard to believe that it gets better but it will. It will," Quinn reassures completely obliviously to Rachel wincing in pain as the blonde lowers her head back to the shorter girls shoulder.

The girls sit in silence for a while. They definitely should be looking for a new camp for the night by now but thankfully, due to the failing electricity the stores lights are incredibly dim and many not even working which meant time, for once, was on their side.

* * *

_The return to Lima wasn't an experience Quinn thought she'd have to endure so soon and especially due to the death of her mother. Turning up to see Rachel. Yes. Visiting fellow Glee Club members. Yes. Visiting family. Yes. But not visiting them to arrange a funeral for the person that brought her into the world. Differences they'd had but Judy Fabray was still Quinn's mother and her death wasn't something Quinn was taking lightly._

_On arrival in Lima Quinn journeys straight to the hospital and the information she is greeted with isn't what she'd expected._

"_What do you mean my mother's body is missing," Quinn asks through gritted teeth, fists balled by her sides._

"_It's procedure to perform a full autopsy on a patient who has died from unknown causes. During the procedure it was noted that your mother had a small bite on her back, it was being treated by antibiotics along with the rest of her condition however since her death the bite is still festering," Doctor McCoy explains very aware of the blondes annoyance._

"_You still aren't getting to the part where you explain how my _dead_ mother's body is freaking missing!" Quinn shouts not caring who can here or what kind of management will get involved with her foul behaviour._

"_Calm down Miss Fabray," the doctor says sternly, "I'm getting there now but it's crucial you know the full story."_

_Quinn is about to retaliate but Doctor McCoy continues, "Samples were taken of your mother's bite to see if this was the cause of her death. Two pathologists were present at the autopsy and after the swab sample was taken, just one pathologist was left in the room with your mother's body. On return of the second pathologist security was quickly alerted as it had been discovered both pathologist and your mother's body were missing."_

_Quinn pinches the bridge of her nose between forefinger and thumb. This is the most ridiculous story she has ever heard and she had no problem with voicing it._

"_Right, I understand what you've told me but this is bat-shit crazy. You're telling me that the pathologist ran off with my mother's body."_

_Doctor McCoy nods. _

_Quinn laughs, "Next you'll be telling me my mother's body is being used to create mark two of Frankenstein's monster."_

_Doctor McCoy shifts uneasily which instantly grabs Quinn's attention, "you have got to be kidding me," she deadpans._

"_Not quite, unfortunately. There have been recent reports on the news of grave diggers, however all CCTV shows is a normal grave one minute and then a 6ft hole the next. The Government are taking this incredibly seriously and local scientists believe it maybe the start of the undead returning to the living."_

_The blonde sways feeling slightly light headed. It is all too much to take in. "Zombies?" She manages to force out._

"_Yes." _

"_You're telling me my mother is a zombie?"_

"_Potentially."_

"_You expect me to believe this?"_

"_No one is expecting anything of you; however the government will be evacuating the city within the next four weeks if cases persist."_

_Quinn stays motionless._

"_Does your mother frequently visit cemeteries?" _

"_No," Quinn answers without even fully comprehending the question._

"_Well if you have any informa…"_

"_Actually," Quinn starts, "It has been five years since my Grandmother died, but I don't know if she visited."_

"_That's okay CCTV will tell us more. Thank-you for your co-operation Miss Fabray and we _are _deeply sorry for your loss however we will have to ask you to stay in Lima for a few weeks in case of any more questions or discoveries; is that okay?"_

_Quinn nods, the queasy feeling in her stomach bubbles away making her feel nauseous as she directs herself to the exit of the hospital. _

* * *

"Rachel, why is your shoulder wet?" Quinn asks but not moving her head a content smile spread across her face.

"Sweat from bowling," Rachel laughs, "You'd think running from zombies would make me fitter, evidently not."

It's been thirty minutes since Rachel appeared, twenty of them were spent bowling and the other ten has been spent with the girls leaning against each other; holding the other up as if they are their only support.

"Come on Rach, we didn't bowl for all that long," Quinn teases. She goes to lift her head up but is quickly pulled back to Rachel's shoulder. "What's going on Rach?" Quinn asks worriedly.

"Nothing Quinn," Rachel replies through gritted teeth, flinching as the blondes head collides with her shoulder once more.

"Are you in pain? Did you hurt yourself?" Quinn quick fires.

"No Quinn, stop panicking."

"Let me look."

"No."

But before Rachel can stop Quinn she has lifted her head, sat up properly and turned around to…

"Oh holy fuck Rachel!" Quinn just stares at the rapidly growing pool of blood.

"It's not that bad," Rachel feigns.

"Not that ba… are you fucking kidding me."

Quinn wrenches off her loosely fitting blue and white chequered shirt and reaches for Rachel's arm and takes a closer look.

A few seconds of silence pass. Quinn is too shocked to say anything. Her features are much paler than normal, never has she seen so much blood pour from one human at a time. She wracks her brain trying to think of what to do but with no hospitals actually operating and civilisation wearing thin Quinn's options are rapidly running out. The blonde tries to think positively but realistically…no, she isn't going to think like that, everything will be fine.

"Stop looking at it," Rachel asks softly trying to prise her arm from Quinn's vice like grip but to no avail.

Quinn's eyes widen and they quickly find Rachel's which are stinging with unshed tears. Rachel knows that look that Quinn's giving her. That look she gave her every time she'd lied and been found out; every time that she'd admitted to her lies, it was just that look of disappointment and it tears Rachel apart.

She bows her head to the floor not having to say anything for Quinn to know she'd lied again.

Quinn's eyes brim with tears, not for the fact that Rachel had lied, but for the fact it is too late. All she can say over and over again is, "You promised me Rachel. You promised me you hadn't been bitten."

Rachel slumps further but is caught by Quinn who draws her close into her chest. Quinn's salty tears fall endlessly. They accumulate at her chin before splashing onto Rachel's blood splattered complexion to mix with the tears being shed from the smaller girl herself.

* * *

_It's the third week of Quinn being in Lima and a fully fledged zombie apocalypse has been confirmed by the government; those who haven't already been evacuated have absolutely no chance of leaving and have been left to their own devices._

_Quinn spends hours scouring the streets with the few survivors who are left living in hope that she'll find a familiar face or a sustainable way of escaping. She should be upset that her mother is dead, but by judging by the description the doctors gave of her mother, she wasn't in any fit state to go by that name in her final hours alive. She may be out there still, a zombie that hasn't had its rotting matter blown out the side of its brittle skull or she may be dead: again._

_The blonde is convinced she recognises some of the zombies and those that were close to her tug at heart strings as she tries to remember how perfect things used to be before lifting her weapon of choice (usually a baseball bat) and bringing it down unfeelingly into the zombies' heads. _

_Has she seen any fellow members of New Directions? Yes. Some in the form of flesh craving maniacs and some reduced to a shell of the happy-go-lucky teenagers she likes to remember them as. After running into Santana, Brittany and Kurt late one evening on a particularly rough day of slaughtering already dead beings, she sticks with them for a few days hoping they can make some progress in leaving the hell hole she used to know as 'home'._

_Four days pass with no sign of any other members apart from a zombie that seemed to share Blaine's height, wardrobe and (now) mangled facial features. Santana and Quinn try to hold Kurt back but he keeps screaming and fighting his way out of the girl's hold until he's pelting his way towards the zombie. No one can be sure if it was Blaine, but at times like this sanity isn't worth thinking about and Kurt had clearly lost it a while ago. Brittany cries that night while Santana holds her in her arms trying to hide her own tears from the scared blonde's view. Quinn sits silently, staring out of the broken window of the abandoned apartment hoping that a certain someone is still alive._

_Brittany and Santana say they haven't seen Rachel. They haven't seen or found anybody besides Kurt and he was now one of them. Not one of the three girls could bring themselves to obliterate the zombified Kurt so instead counted to three and ran. _

_Hopefully someone else, with a little more heart will one day, or may have already, put him out of his misery._

_Brittany, Santana and Quinn get split up after a week of being together. The hordes are slowly growing in size and Brittany gets lost in the masses. Santana screams for them to go back although she already knows it'll be too late. _

_The loss they feel is different from when a family member or friend dies in a dignified way. There is no dignity about it. Somehow being dead is a better place to be than alive fighting for survival. If it wasn't for Quinn Santana would have given up by now however on a cold, overcast day Quinn wakes up to find the girl in question missing. She grabs her bat realising that Santana's spade has been left behind. Quinn fears for the worst but knows if something has happened it is probably too late._

_The pair slept in a shed overnight and as Quinn walks out of it, rays of sunlight temporarily blind her vision. No zombies in sight Quinn begins her day of trekking living in hope that Santana may still be alive._

_The cold quickly gets to Quinn so she puts one hand in her pocket and decides to alternate them as not to get frost bite. On putting her hand into her pocket she feels a crumpled piece of paper under her touch. She stops, pulls the paper out and reads the scrawled note._

'_I have to find her. Dead or alive I need to know. Good luck – S'_

_If she could, the blonde would cry, but the bitterness of the environment makes it almost impossible to feel anything anymore. Upset is not the same as it was because it is a constant occurrence; it has lost its feeling and meaning._

_As night falls Quinn finds herself setting up 'base' in a small house somewhere in the middle of town. It wasn't an area she'd ever been to before, but sign posts signalled the way out of town and slowly, day by day she was getting further and further. _

_A noise alerts Quinn and she's instantly reaching out for her baseball bat but then there's a voice. A human voice, not the low, gut-wrenching moan of a zombie. The voice was hoarse but definitely female._

"_Is anybody in here?" the voice asks, probably a bit too politely for an apocalypse but some people like to keep a façade of normality around them to stop them from going mad._

"_Up here," Quinn finds herself replying._

_Within thirty seconds a short girl with long brunette hair is backing her way into the room dragging a heavy bag of what looks like supplies and equipment._

"_Here let me help you," Quinn says as she dives forwards but just as her hands latch onto the bag, they are immediately retreating back to her mouth in shock. Tears well in her eyes._

"_Rachel?" Quinn forces out._

_The brunette girl turns around and indeed it was Rachel who now faces the blonde. Only seconds pass in silence before Rachel is launching herself at Quinn and pulling her into a tight embrace of which neither girl ever wants to let go of._

_After the hug of a life time Quinn helps Rachel assemble what she called 'a shit load' of supplies before attempting to sleep so that the next gruelling day won't be half as bad as the previous one. The girls try to sleep but Quinn is tossing and turning on the hard floor and Rachel isn't having much success in sleeping either._

"_I've missed you," Rachel says her breath visible when she talks._

"_I've missed you too," Quinn replies. _

"_How long have you been back?"_

"_Since my mum started the apocalypse," Quinn jokes a little too sarcastically._

_She can tell Rachel is frowning because she doesn't reply. _

"_I'm being serious Rach, well partly," and Quinn goes on to explain the whole situation right up until the present time, not missing out a single detail. Rachel listens intently and after Quinn finishes goes on to explain her own story._

"_So you've been in therapy for eighteen months?"_

_Rachel nods._

"_Has it helped?"_

_Rachel shrugs, "I wouldn't know, I haven't seen many people and most of them don't know about my pathological lying," she says the last two words in air quotes._

_Silence engulfs the pair until, "I still love you, ever since I first told you, it's never gone away," Rachel states matter-of-factly._

"_I think I've always loved you," Quinn replies, "But starting a relationship in the middle of an apocalypse isn't a good idea, especially when we don't know what's around the corner."_

_Rachel nods sadly. "Are you always going to make excuses for us to be together?"_

_Taken a back Quinn doesn't answer._

"_Be honest."_

"_That's a bit rich," Quinn scoffs_

"_I've been trying harder than you'd know Quinn so please, answer me."_

"_No I'm not always going to make excuses just now isn't the right time."_

"_You mean you still can't bring yourself to believe me."_

_Quinn clenches her fists and Rachel notices._

"_I'm just being honest Quinn."_

"_Yeah, well I wouldn't know," Quinn spits back immediately regretting it._

"_Goodnight Quinn," Rachel sighs before rolling over in the semi-darkness._

"_Rachel I…" but she stops not knowing what to say, because nothing she can say will make any of it any better._

_Weeks pass and Quinn and Rachel rarely mention the lying, or the conversation they'd had the first night they'd been reunited with one another. Occasionally Rachel will still tell the blonde she loves her but unfortunately Quinn never returns the words, she feels them and means them but she wants to wait and use them in an atmosphere that will reflect how she feels. That could be years away but she's willing to wait because they will get out of this mess. She knows they will. She knows Rachel will get better._

_Rachel calls her 'getting better', "wishful thinking" as like Quinn keeps reminding them, "Like you keep saying Quinn, we don't know what's around the corner. Don't hold back Quinn just say it."_

_But Quinn never does, she ignores it and starts talking about where they are to stay that night or safe houses. A stolen radio had told them just a few days back that a few towns north have somehow found a cure for the early stages of zombification, as they call it._

_Rachel never gets upset or annoyed that Quinn is hiding within herself, she just tries to encourage her out of it each and every day and with the town with the cure getting closer, safety and reality seems almost possible again; however right now, there is no one else to turn to but each other._

_Evening is quickly falling upon the girls as the days are getting shorter. Rachel starts looking around for appropriate places to sleep for the night but Quinn waves all ideas off and says that the can at least reach the half way point in the town that borders Lima. The next town over has the cure, and Quinn is determined to get their by tomorrow. The cure clearly isn't important but it's most likely a much safer place to stay than the vacant town they are currently residing in._

"_Up ahead is a grocery store," Quinn mumbles wearily to Rachel who nods. "We'll grab any supplies we can then find somewhere to sleep close by."_

_The girls continue and darkness is officially upon them. They have one flash light between them and the batteries are rapidly losing juice. _

"_You don't talk as much, I miss it," Quinn says as she finally stops outside the doors of the grocery store. _

"_There isn't much to say," Rachel replies honestly._

_Quinn shrugs and leaves it at that. It's Rachel's turn to scour for supplies and Quinn is always hesitant, her trust in the other girl has somewhat grown but it is still definitely far from one hundred percent. Usually Quinn enters a shop without even letting Rachel know she's gone however when it's the other way round Quinn gives Rachel a rough time limit of which she is to stick to and always makes Rachel promise that she'll be back out a.s.a.p._

_Rachel never complained about the ritual Quinn went through every time it was her turn to collect supplies. She merely listens and hopes that if she lets Quinn drill it into her, the blondes trust will form quicker and the love she feels for the girl will soon be the only thing that matters._

"_Ten minutes okay," Quinn preps Rachel._

"_Yeah."_

_Rachel is eerily silent and it unnerves Quinn._

"_What's wrong? Do you not want to go because I don't mind if…"_

"_I'm fine and I'll go," Rachel interrupts, "It's just that I've forgotten what it feels like to laugh and I can't remember what your smile looks like."_

_Quinn's raised eyebrows drop into a sympathetic gaze. "Tomorrow we'll be in a new town and things will be different, I promise."_

_Rachel nods, "Yes, a new start. A new start," she tells herself, muttering it under her breath like a mantra. "Can I hug you before I go just in case of…"_

"_Nothing is going to happen to you Rachel. We are not saying goodbye because this is not the end, got it?" Quinn says in a slightly comforting tone rubbing the shorter girls shoulder._

_Rachel nods once more before carefully dragging her dishevelled body through the broken door and shouting, "I'll be right back," not even bothering to turn around._

* * *

"How long?" Quinn asks still cradling Rachel's weakening body.

"Just before you found me. It was only small so I figured I had an hour or so."

"Was it deliberate?"

"No."

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"Good," Quinn whispers, "I believe you."

"Why didn't you tell me straight away? I could have carried you to the next town; if the bite was small you would have got there in time. I could have got help Rachel. Why did you do this to me?" Quinn cries, "It's so fucking selfish."

"Way to cheer up the dying girl," Rachel tries to laugh but the pain is preventing her from doing so.

"Why Rachel," the blondes hair hanging in her face shielding the brunette from seeing her so distraught, after all, this was her fault. She has single handedly managed to kill the girl she loves.

"I wanted to leave it as long as possible."

"What!" Quinn exclaims almost jumping to her feet before remembering that Rachel was currently occupying her person space, "Why?"

"I thought you'd put me out of my misery before I could tell you everything you don't want to hear, but need to so that you can move on with your life," Rachel explains, some of her words only having some of the syllables pronounced as her body loses its fight against the virus.

Luckily, Quinn can still understand what she's saying, even if she's not sure quite what Rachel means.

"I'm lost," Quinn shamefully admits.

"I was afraid you'd prematurely end my life in the same way you prematurely ended our relationship; the relationship that didn't even start and now never will. You always told me we'd get out of here and that it'd be okay and that's great optimism Quinn but did you think about it realistically? Why couldn't we have the past few weeks together and lose each other knowing that we spent our time together in the best way possible?"

Quinn is speechless. Her eyes are dry, there are no more tears. She doesn't even think she could cry if she tried. There's nothing left. She'd void of everything.

"I didn't want to be silenced by you anymore Quinn. If I'd have told you I'd been bitten once again our potential relationship would have been put off so I could concentrate on 'getting better' and after that it would be 'we'll see' and 'when your therapy finishes.

I know I've made mistakes and I've had to live with them but being silenced for a condition I can't help yet have tried to rectify for eighteen months and still being told 'no, you can't be with the girl you love in what could possibly be the last few weeks you'll see each other alive.'

You believed more lies of mine than you ever did the actual truths I told. You silenced the one honest thing I ever told you but I don't blame you for being scared. I would be too."

"Rachel I'm so sorry, I didn't think. I'm the selfish one, not you, I'm just, I'm so sorry Rachel. Forgive me, please," Quinn begs gripping the girl tighter looking directly into her soul through her coffee coloured orbs.

"This isn't out of bravery Quinn," but before she can finish she coughs up a mouthful of blood. She smiles to herself, "It's happening Quinn."

"No!" Quinn shouts, "No it's not, you're my anchor Rachel, you are it. Please don't leave me, please don't do this to me, it's not brave it's stupid."

"I know it's not brave. I don't feel brave."

"How do you feel?" Quinn asks petrified of the answer. Seeing her love in pain is one thing, but hearing her spell out the physical agony she's going through is a step she doesn't think she can handle.

"I'm scared shitless," Rachel smiles, "It's almost liberating, Quinn. I feel so free and I can feel, for the first time I can feel Quinn. Everything. I can feel it all. Pain, happiness, hunger, it's all there Quinn, it's all here," Rachel finishes lifting Quinn's shaking right hand and holding it to her heart.

Quinn is startled by how fast the girl's heart beat is. There isn't any time to waste. Rachel's eyes start to close but Quinn isn't ready yet.

"No, come on Rachel, stay with me. Why bowling? Was it for Finn? Can you remember him Rachel, do you remember how happy you were together," Quinn hurries.

Rachel's eyes continue to close but a smile forms on her face, "Finn," she whispers.

"Haven't seen that oaf in a while, can't believe I miss him," Quinn half laughs to her, "Come on Rach, open your eyes beautiful."

Rachel uses all her energy and might to open her eyes, "You called me beautiful," she says breathlessly.

"Yeah," Quinn smiled, "because you are and more. You're more than words can describe."

"Cheesy."

"Who cares," Quinn smirks.

"I'm going to die proving how much I love you, rather than living in your doubt Quinn. I love you. Forever. Always. I'll never stop."

Quinn's body regains the ability to cry. Warm, salty tears swim their way down the blondes face.

"Do me one favour," Rachel says barely above a whisper.

"Anything."

"Will you…will…"

"Come on Rach, you can do this, ask me and I promise I'll say yes," Quinn urges squeezing the girl in her arms as tightly as she can.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Rachel asks before her body falls limp but Quinn is so ecstatic that she doesn't feel it.

"Yes, Rachel. I'll be your girlfriend, you're dying my girlfriend," Quinn pauses realising that her hand is no longer fluttering with the pulse of Rachel underneath it. "No, no, no! Rachel, you're my girlfriend! Don't pretend you can't hear me, I know you can. Don't do this Rachel! Come back I love you!"

It's too late, Rachel is gone.

* * *

Quinn never learned to believe until it was too late and Rachel died with her one wish of not being alone when she died, unfulfilled, for Quinn was there in person but not in mind. Not filling the empty space, that will forever be vacant in Rachel Berry's heart.

From this day forward Quinn wanders in the newly rectified streets of Lima hearing those words over and over again in her head. However, she didn't really hear them; all she heard was the voice in her head as Rachel never got to ask her question. Rachel was gone before she'd even attempted to start her sentence, but she did die feeling, which is something Quinn will never be able to do.

"I told her we'd never say goodbye San. We only ever had our first kiss," Quinn says completely void of emotions.

"And you didn't," Santana rubs her shoulder, "You will never say goodbye to what's in here," she finishes tapping Quinn's heart.

Santana turned up out of the blue the morning after Rachel's death, Brittany was never found. She'd also heard about the cure and was aiming to get there as quickly as possible but when she saw the dim lights in a nearby grocery store, she decided to check it out. In there she found a broken Quinn Fabray cradling the body of a girl she once despised.

Why is there a body if Rachel was bitten?

* * *

_Rachel enters the store and quickly rushes to the aisle stocking bandages and plasters. Empty._

_Everything._

_Empty._

_She runs back up to the other end of the store about to call for Quinn when a glint of silver catches her eye. A tin. She moves towards it quickly as if it was about to run away but half way there she slips on a pool of blood and as she falls catches her arm on a piece of dirty, broken metal. The gash was wide and needed urgent medical attention but with no hope of that happening anytime soon, Rachel makes a decision that will change two lives. _

_It will give one person a chance to be released from her silence_

_And one person a chance to believe._

"_There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting," Rachel mutters to herself, "If I don't try I'll never know, I have one more chance and I have to make it count: for both our sakes."_

_And with that Rachel drags herself along the floor picks up the tin which contains baked beans. _

_Enough for two, but only needed for one, Rachel thinks to herself, walking in the opposite direction to where Quinn is standing. _

_Waiting._

_And hoping._

* * *

One more lie, Quinn thinks to herself.

It was her last lie and her last attempt to make me believe.

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting," Quinn says to no one in particular for it didn't matter who listened anymore.

The person who needed to listen was herself and it was too late for that. As soon as Quinn denied Rachel a hug it was too late for that.

It had been her Quinn's fault because from the beginning Rachel had always warned her. There was always two choices for Rachel, and only ever one choice for Quinn.

To believe.

* * *

**Thank-you so much for reading. **

**Reviews would be wonderful and for any of you who are reading "When I deserve you" the next update will be pretty soon now that exams are over!**


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